1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to angle gages, and more particularly, pertains to a template-type device with which angles are measured or verified by visual comparison.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the manufacture of precision machined or stamped parts, it is essential that resulting edges, corners, and contours are within spec, including specifications pertaining to angles. The angular relationship between two surfaces may often be defined in a variety of ways, and comparison to surrounding or adjacent surfaces, may, in fact, comprise the best way of determining the accuracy and precision of a particular angle. Consequently, measurement of a given angle's complement, supplement, half its value, double its value or other common related values may actually provide the most advantageous approach toward making a precise determination. A production process may require such measurements to be made with great frequency, whereby a number of such related parameters are continually and repeatedly checked and rechecked to insure that a given specification is being met.
The prior art fails to provide a simple device with which a given angle's permutations in various orientations can readily be checked. A fully adjustable instrument is often bulky and cumbersome to use. Access to certain surfaces may therefore inherently be precluded, and/or a relatively high degree of skill may be required to determine which measured values are relevant to the verification of a specified angular relationship of two specified surfaces. Templates provide a simple alternative to an adjustable precision instrument, but in order to provide the necessary versatility required to measure a specified angle in a variety of forms or orientations, a large number of templates are required. This would again introduce an undesired degree of complexity and would require a reasonable amount of skill to make the determination as to which template would be useful in verifying the accuracy of a particular angular relationship. The present invention seeks to cure the above described disadvantages of the prior art and provides a simple and easy-to-use device with which the necessary angular determinations can readily be made.